Exhaust fan assemblies for commercial and residential applications often include a fan positioned in a housing in set within the ceiling to draw air through an opening in the ceiling. A grille is typically positioned over the opening to cover the opening and conceal the fan to provide a more aesthetically appealing appearance. A light fixture is often positioned within the housing between the fan and the grille to direct light through the grille or window positioned in the grille. The drawback of the light fixture is that the features of the light fixture can occupy space within the housing disrupting the airflow through the grille to the fan reducing the effectiveness of the exhaust fan.
Incandescent light bulbs can generate a substantial amount of heat requiring substantial air circulation around the light bulb to avoid overheating of the light fixture. Accordingly, incandescent light bulbs are often positioned within a housing to provide the substantial empty space for air circulation around the light bulb. However, the housing can occupy a substantial space within the light fixture further disrupting the airflow through the exhaust fan.
In addition, the light fixture frequently includes a light source that directs the light away from the grille or window against a reflector or other light diffusing mechanism. Orienting the light fixture to emit light directly toward the window or grille can form points of light when viewed through the window. This problem is compounded by the increased use of light emitting diodes (“LEDs”), which often requires the use of a plurality of LEDs to replace a single incandescent light bulb. Similarly, the diffraction of light from the directly oriented light source may be insufficient to illuminate the room. The reflector or diffuser conceals the points of light and improves the diffraction of light from the light source. While the reflector or diffuser improves the effectiveness of the light source, the reflector or diffusor can further disrupt the airflow through the grille and reduce the effectiveness of the exhaust fan.